Always by your side
by darknite0403
Summary: Sequel of "A DEATH GAME." After few weeks everything was getting back to normal. Except her. And he wants to find out what is bothering her. So he goes to her home and finds that she is... Abhijit-Tarika and Daya-Muskaan.
1. Chapter 1: You can trust me

After knocking at the door for minutes, Abhijit swung himself through the open window into Tarika's room, landing softly on his feet before straightening up to look around.

Tarika couldn't have gone to bed so early. Not that 12 was early but since it was a Saturday night hence he had been surprised to find no light in her bedroom when he had come here.

He edged forward now, looking around for any sign of her all the while straining his eyes against the darkness and wondering if she was downstairs. Something told him however, that that was not the case.

He stilled as his eyes fell on a figure huddled in one corner of the room, clutching something in her hands as her body shook with unmistakable sobs.

_Tarika._

Despite the fact that he could not hear her, he knew she was crying because that was Tarika. She never cried openly and when she did she would make sure that no one could hear her.

He had always wondered what scared her most; that someone would hear her and reach out or that someone would just walk away.

"Tarika?" He heard himself whisper.

She went completely still. Slowly she raised her head to find him standing before her and their eyes met. His' were full of questions while hers spoke of nothing but pain that was raw and harsh and enough to cause all the love that he felt for her come rushing to the surface as he tried to breath.

She averted her gaze from his and he came forward sitting beside her without invitation. They both knew he didn't need one.

They sat in the darkness for a while after that, the silence of the night settling around them as they did so. In Tarika's mind however, a war raged. He was here, he had found her in her weakest, most alone moment. She knew he had his questions even if he did not dare voice them yet, she knew he was wondering just why was she holding the photograph of her dead Mother in her hands and crying, hiding from the eyes of the world as she did so and therein lay the thought as to whether she would share this with him, this one last secret that she had shared with no one else before. She could if she wanted to. She was in love with him and she knew that he would listen, that he would stay. It was one of the reasons why she had fallen in love with him in the first place. He'd never walk away. Not from her.

"Did I ever tell you how Mamma died?" She whispered.

She felt him stiffen as the sound of her voice finally broke the quiet around them before he shook his head.

"She.. "

She looked sideways to find him looking at her in that intent way of his that always made her uncomfortable at being the subject of his unwavering gaze.

"What happened Tarika?" His voice was gentle, much too gentle for her bleeding heart and she looked away.

"She died.. She died because of me." Her voice was hoarse, the words barely audible as she let them slip from within her heart and allowed them to become a part of their world.

He did not exclaim, did not shake his head in complete denial and she was grateful for that because until you don't know the whole truth about a person or a matter such statements are forever baseless no matter how driven they are by your own love for that person and he knew that. He knew that whatever he would say would never truly convince or comfort her because she had always found more comfort in reason and logic than in emotions. It was one of the queer things about her.

"Why do you say thatTarika?" He asked and she closed her eyes once, resting the back of her head against the wall before speaking,

"She died while giving birth to me."

He did not say anything. Instead he merely shifted and she felt his hand on her shoulder as he put an arm around her before he pulled her close to himself. She held onto him as she buried her face into the crook of his neck and let herself cry.

"I killed her Abhijit. She brought me into this world and I killed her in the process. She knew.. She knew she wouldn't survive. Why'd she do it Abhijit? I hate myself. My life came at the cost of somebody else's. My own motherAbhijit.. I killed my own Mother.."

"Shhh.. It was never in your handsTarika. Your Mother knew what she was doing. She loved youTarika. She did what any Mother would have done. You can't hate yourself for this' She loves you and wherever she is out there she must be very, very proud of you." He stroked her hair as he spoke, his words making her cling to him all the more.

"She would be?" He heard her whisper.

He slipped a hand under her chin and made her look up before speaking,

"Yes she would. She brought a beautiful person, a strong person into this world. She brought you into this world. "

She buried her face in the side of his neck again at that and he simply held her until her sobs had subsided.

They fell silent again, her head had gone on to rest gently onto his shoulder while he played with her hair and when she spoke after some time her voice was steady,

"I thought she died because of him. I thought he killed her." She said quietly.

"Who?" Abhijit asked, though he already knew the answer.

"My Father."

She fell silent and Abhijit knew that despite harboring no real love in her heart for her the man she was still reluctant to tell him. He did not push her any further giving her the time she needed to gather her thoughts and Tarika was grateful, for in that one moment, she was that child again who had spent the first 13 years of her life trying to get her Father her firat guardian to love her in some small way. The rush of memories that followed had her clenching her teeth as she tried to push the hurt and pain away. He felt her hand curl into a fist, her fingers digging into his skin and he knew the private battle she was fighting. He still didn't say anything though. Some battles needed to be fought alone and this was one of them. Tarika closed her eyes once, willing herself to speak, to let it out and free herself of the ache that weighed down on her heart once and for all. She was a proud girl and to admit to the many ways her guardians had rejected and hurt her required strength. It was a different kind of bravery altogether. She took another deep breath and as she did so she felt the reassuring press of his hand on her arm. It was a mere gesture of support but its affect on her was enormous because suddenly she knew she could tell him. She could tell him everything.

"I hated him Abhijit. I hated him to the core. First I thought he took my mother away from me. Then he named me orphaned. I had never felt loved. I never knew or felt love. All my life I was all alone. I had no one. But I don't know why I could never just give up, why I would keep telling myself that she did love me and I have to make her proud. I have to stand proud against the person who abandoned me. And I did work hard and became forensic doctor. But I was wrong. My father did everything for my good. For my safety. He was a good person. And I was the one to take his wife away."

"What changed?" He asked.

" Virat.."

"What did he tell you?"

"He told everything about my father. Why he abandoned me. Although he left me under guardian he took care of all my education expenses. And he only wanted me to become a forensic doctor. He said that I was just like my father."

After few sobs.

"Vishal helped me a lot to overcome the depression but despite everything I can never let go of how my Mother died. I can never.. I just.. I can't.."

Abhijit kissed the top of her head once as he listened to her, unaware of the lone tear that had slipped down his own cheek at her words. That last statement of hers held a selfish truth in itself that Tarika would never admit to anyone. Perhaps not even to her. It was wrong and bitter and selfish but it was there because in the end Tarika was human. Her Mother might have given up her own life to have Tarika but she had still left her behind in the hands of a man whom she had known would probably never find in his situation to love her. For the child inside Tarika who had craved for the love of herMothe, that Father had become an object of her resentment. She had left her behind; she had not fought to stay. If she had then perhaps Tarika would have been a little less alone than she had been in all the years.

He closed his eyes once, before whispering a promise to her letting all the love he felt for her fill his words as he did so.

"I will never leave youTarika."

She stiffened at that.

"What?"

He shifted and gently took her face in his hands. She looked to the floor now, unable to meet his gaze. Perhaps she too had realized that he had understood that sense of abandonment without her having to admit to it.

"_Look_ at me."

She met his gaze reluctantly and he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear before speaking,

"I promise you, I will _never_ leave you." He said, his voice turning slightly thick as it always did whenever he let himself feel too much.

"Never?"

"Never. No matter what happens, we will always have' we will always have _this_. I will _always_ be there for you."

She looked into his eyes and the quiet intensity that reflected in them shook her. If it had been anyone else then she would have brushed the promise away. But this was Abhijit. And Abhijit never made any promises until he believed with the whole of his heart that he could fulfill them. A curious sensation filled her from within. It made her feel hot and cold and tingly all at the same time and she realized with a start that her heart suddenly felt free. Free to believe him, to love him and to let him be there for her. She had given away her pain and he had taken it to give back to her all the love in the world in a manner that her pain had simply.. Faded away. It was a beautiful feeling and it all came down to one simple thing. That somewhere when he had uttered those words with all the sincerity in the world her soul had submitted itself to his own.

"I'll always be there for you too." She said softly now.

He looked into her eyes, she was still too consumed with her own pain yet he knew that she meant it, her words touching and probing at his heart in a way that instead of gaining strength and hope from them, his soul suddenly felt bare and naked and vulnerable to her. He lowered his gaze, trying to swallow the painful lump that had risen in his throat.

"Abhijit?"

"Hmmm?" He looked up now.

She leaned into him again, fitting against him perfectly as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you."

He smiled and merely pulled her closer.

The silence returned bringing with itself a strange placidity to their thoughts and emotions. Tonight, somehow, in some way when he had first sat down next to her, the ground underneath them had widened, strengthened. It was the strength that came with promises and words and actions. It defined a friendship that was limitless and a love that could never truly end. As friends they would always, always help each other and heal each other and if they ever accepted each other to be something more than a friend then he knew enough about their natures to know that their love could never be meek. He didn't know what lay ahead of them, didn't know how smooth or rough their journey would be, what he did know was that they could never truly fall apart and that in the end they would always pull together. It was the only thing that their souls seemed to know. He didn't know how and he didn't know why but Abhijit and Tarika would last. He would make sure of it.

With that thought in mind he smiled.

"I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Can we have something to eat?"

She raised her head in surprise to find him looking back at her with utmost seriousness.

"What?"

He shrugged.

"I'm hungry."

"You're thinking about food?"

"Well of course I am. And don't look at me like that. You should hear someone's depressing tales for an hour and then…'"

But he never got to finish because Tarika had lunged at him, completely furious at his nerve so that he had to back away hurriedly.

"Now, Tarika behave yourself.."

After few minutes….

Time 2 am:

"So what are we having?" She asked warily as they entered the kitchen.

"Ice-cream."

"Um Abhijit?" She asked as he made his way towards the refrigerator without awaiting her reply.

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you going to get the lights first?"

"No."

"Why not?"

He merely shrugged before opening the freezer.

"Abhijit?"

She observed him unable to keep her curiosity at bay at his behavior. He was more relaxed, his manner casual and friendly. She wondered what had changed. He was always so careful around her. She couldn't help but feel a little grateful for it though. It made her so much easier and she liked him better this way. Maybe that kidnapping was the reason. Maybe somewhere in between those days he must have realized something. He has changed. I have changed. It has changed both of our life for better.

That felt.. nice.

"Earth to Tarika."

His voice broke into her thoughts and she looked at him, as though seeing him for the first time.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?"

She took out two bowls from a cabinet and rinsed them. He didn't she turned to look at him, he was poking his head into another cabinet.

"What are you looking for?"

"Cookies."

"Huh? I thought were having ice cream?"

"Oh we are. I'm going to mix mine with the cookies."

"Oh."

"What forgot? You taught me" He asked, turning around, finally having found his precious cookies.

"Hmmm"

"What!" He replied in a tone, which indicated he was dejected by her simple reply.

When she merely shrugged, he shook his head, his manner almost disappointed.

The truth was that the dessert had been a favorite of theirs and for a moment, Abhijit had felt almost betrayed at the fact that she didn't even remember.

"Well okay. But you're going to have it now."

"Ok." She said dryly.

He merely grinned at that and nodded once, his manner playful.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Well, you can grab a mixing spoon and crush these." He said sliding the pack of cookies towards her.

"Okay."

Ten minutes later Abhijit had already finished his first bowl, while Tarika was only halfway through hers as she was still sad.

"And you were telling someone that he eats too slowly." Abhijit laughed.

"Well now you know now for whom she has changed." "The rate at which you're going, I'm guessing we're going to be out of ice cream."

"I'll get some more tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Why do you think we're doing this in the middle of the night?"

Tarika choked on her ice cream at that.

"What?"

"It's very romantic. You know what nowadays my girlfriend is very unromantic" He replied, his manner indignant.

"Really"

"Oh yes. She needs some lessons in love. _You_ are going to teach her some." Tarika might have taken him seriously but the fact that he was waving a spoon in her face while he said all these things had her bursting into peals of laughter.

Abhijit stared at the spoon in his hand at that and immediately withdrew it, causing her to laugh harder.

"It's not funny."

"Oh, absolutely." She said, still laughing.

He tried to frown at her but her laughter was infectious and it made him grin as well. It was the first time he had ever seen her laugh freely around him after all that has happened.

"This is nice by the way. I really like it." She said, indicating towards the ice cream, once she had stopped laughing.

He smiled now.

"Do you like mint chocolates too then?"

He immediately pulled a face.

"Ugh, no."

"Well I love them. I like all favors."

He knew that. He got that information from Vishal. And he still didn't understand why.

"I prefer regular chocolate, thank you."

"I know. You're just like everyone else'. No discerning taste at all."

He merely quirked his eyebrow at her and she couldn't help grin a little.

She didn't know why and when had she fallen for the easy flow of conversation, had started to tease him and have her leg pulled in return, had allowed herself to laugh and talk freely. What she did know was that it was nice to indulge in laughter and simple conversation with him. It was real and it was natural and it felt pleasant in its uncomplicated nature.

They sat, unaware as to when the conversation shifted from food to other things, they were small things, almost meaningless in their nature but friendship begins with such random pieces of conversations and laughter. It begins with minor arguments and smiles when two people forget the world around them and simply talk about anything and everything.

It was far too easy, far too natural just as Abhijit had known it would be and it was only when the clock in the house chimed 4 did they realize the time and finally made their way to their rooms.

They had reconnected after almost an age.

That they would indeed always have.. _This._

They went to bed grinning of course in their respective home.

**A/N : **This story is an inspiration from another ff. Hope you guys like it and fulfills your expectations. And guys please check out the **CID community and CID forum too**.


	2. Chapter 2: Parting should be painless

**Time 6 pm :**

**Inside Quallis:**

Daya: Tho tum uske ghar jane waale ho?

Abhi: Haan. Aur tum?

Daya: Mein kyun aauin Tarika ke ghar?

Abhi: Arrey bhudu. Tarika ke nahi Muskaan ke ghar jaa rahey ho ya nahi?

Daya kept silent and concentrated more on driving.

Abhi: Esey shaanth hone se kuch nahi ho saktha. Mey kehtha huin ek baar uss sey mil lo.

Daya maintained silence. Abhi didn't disturb his train of thoughts and he himself started to ponder about what could be Tarika's problem.

Daya dropped Abhi at his house.

Abhi: Ek baar sochlo. Mauka ko haath sey jaane math dena yaar. I think she needs you at the time like this.

Daya nodded. Abhi smiled and patted his shoulder before turning back and walking towards his house.

Daya took reverse and started driving towards his house. All the way Daya was thinking…..

Daya: Hmm Abhi bhi naa. Why would she need me? She took the decision of dropping me. She didn't even tell me. That too only me. Why she didn't inform only me. Why she came to bureau in my absence and said to others about her parting. Kya uske life mein merliya importance itna hi hai?

Magar Abhi khe raha hai ki I should go and see her. But why should I go and see her. She didn't even want me to know. Nahi tho kam se kam wo ek call tho kar sakthi thi naa instead of just sending a message. Ussey pheley hi patha that ki she is temporary here then why she did this to me. Aakir chathi kya hai wo. She is going irrespective of her knowing that how much she is important to me.

**Traffic signal:**

Daya stopped at a traffic signal. He is waiting on the extreme left side of the lane. From the signal if he took left he would reach his house if right then on the way to Muskaan's. Now the signal is showing right. 30 seconds for the left signal.

Daya(agitated): Right ya left. Right …left. ….Right…. left. Ummm left…..

But at the last 10 seconds he took a sudden right turn getting scolding from other drivers. He stopped at flower shop which was shutting down for the day. Bought some random flowers.

**Time 7:30 pm:**

**Outside Muskaan's house:**

He rang the door bell.

Daya(thinking): Kya mera yahaan aana sahi hai? Will she expect me to be here? No I think that will be the last thing she would wish for. No I will better go.

He turned back to leave when he heard the sound of chain being drawn back. He again turned towards the door with lots of hesitation. He wet his lips with tongue, brushed his hair and dress with his hand.

Door opened and he saw Muskaan standing there shocked and awkward.

Muskaan: Daya tum yahaan? Is waqt?

Daya noticed her anxiety. He couldn't judge whether he was needed or not.

Daya(thinking): I am going to be normal and cool. I won't let her know how much I have got hurt. As she will be thinking I would ask why she didn't confide to me about her departure in person, but I won't ask her about it. I am not going to be that person tonight. I am going to cool as an ice berg.

Daya(smiling): Can I come inside?

Muskaan: Ummm…. I was packing. But ya tum andar aa sakthey ho.

Muskaan(unlocking and thinking): Kya kar rahi huin mein. I should send him away. I can't face him.

But her reflexes failed her and she opened the door wide and let him inside. He went past her. Muskaan just stood there staring at his back.

Daya: Ghar accha hai.

Daya walked through the living room glancing everywhere. He stopped near the shelf and took a photo frame in his hand. It was of her in the beach taken recently after the case by him. The entire team spent aan evening in beach to celebrate their victory. He gifted her after framing it in a glass frame with golden border and a siver bow at a cornee. She was wearing a yellow frock and a cap. He had the very same photo in his mobile too. He was running his fingers through her face remembering that evening.

Muskaan gathered some strength just enough to ask.

Muskaan: Daya tum yahaan kyun aaye ho?

Muskaan came near Daya and stood behind him keeping a safe distance. A safe distance to protect herself from falling for the ever charismatic person before her and venting out her feelings.

Daya: I got your message. Tum aapne ghar jaa rahi ho?

Muskaan: Haan. Yahaan ka kaam kahtham hogaya tho mey aur Vishal ja rahe hain.

Muskaan(thinking): Sorry Daya I can't say more than this. I want this to be over without any pain.

Daya: Hmmm. It's just I am bit offen…. low that…

Muskaan(pleading him stop): Daya.

Daya turned back and saw the pain in her eyes. He even noticed that she was maintaining a distance more than usual with him.

Daya: Haan ye tumhare liye hai.

Daya handed over the flowers he bought to her. She looked at the flowers and then him for a long time and smiled. Daya noticed her looking at him in slight surprise, slight appreciation that he had remembered about these special flowers which she once mentioned to him from all that time ago.

Muskaan(smiling): White orchids, carnations and star gazer lilies. "Miss you" flowers. Thank you very much Daya. It means a lot to me.

She thought that it was his way of covering up his weakness, pain and showing his emotions.

She went to close to him and let him wrap his arms around her. Feeling her pressed up against him, he sighed contentedly, smelling her hair, not knowing when he would get to be like this with her again. Just as he loosened his grip leaving her free to return to her safe distance, he heard her whimper and then shudder as she clung to him harder.

Daya(softly): It's ok. Relax.

She was crying in his arms. He closed his eyes and held her, muttering small words of comfort. The comfort words were more to him than to her. She pulled away, rubbing her eyes furiously.

Muskaan(very softly): I am sorry Daya….

Daya: It's ok Mus…

Muskaan(cutting in): Nahi Daya. I am really am sorry. I should have said to you before.

Daya came forward and wiped her eyes softly with his kerchief. Then he held her shoulder to stop her from shuddering. They both had eye contact for long time. Mean time Muskaan gained some strength. She went and sat on the sofa and looked at Daya. Daya took it has an invite and sat beside her.

Daya: Where are you going?

Muskaan immediately looked away.

Muskaan: I am sorry Daya. But I can't reveal that to you. The entire missions we get are highly confidential Daya. Mujhe hi nahi patha ki hum kahaan ka rahe hain. I don't know anything about our next project or how dangerous it is. I don't even know whether I will be able to meet you next time or not.

Daya felt like someone had just hit him over the head with a hammer. He didn't know what to say to her but apparently she didn't need him to say anything. They both exactly know how risky their job was.

He took her hand in his and with his free arm, he pushed her towards him. She rested her head on his shoulder for a few minutes before she pulled away to look at him again.

Muskaan: I know that you want to know why I didn't say to you in person. But Daya You are the first guy in my whole life for whom I have allowed myself to have feelings. And I do know how much I am important to you. And I have so much affection for you that I didn't want to hurt you ever. I could never see you in upset. For the same reason I couldn't confront you Daya. Going away from you that to not knowing when we will meet next time is like living a slow death to me Daya. I wanted our _parting to be pain less. For you and me._

Daya: Shh….Shh Muskaan. Bahuth bolti ho tum. Ab mein bolunga tum suno. Tum kahaan bi jaogy safe hogi. Tumhe kuch nahi hoga. _Tumhe job hi musibhat aaye uss sabko phele mujhe saamna karna hoga. _(He was surprised at the ease with which he was talking without thinking. Because all the words where coming from his heart).

Call me every single day in whichever corner of the world you go. If you ever want any help one call I will be beside you Muskaan. (He didn't even think once before saying this. For him if Muskaan needed him, he was going to be there with her. No matter what. )

Please don't worry. _I trust you and your love. Because, I love you too. _

Both were shocked the next second after Daya's disclosure about his feeling freely for the first time.

She looked overwhelmed and her eyes were all watery. She didn't know how to express what she was feeling in words. Her lips where trembling and body shivering uncontrollably with ecstasy.

Muskaan(whispering): Thank you.

Muskaan hugged him again tightly. And he too wrapped his hands around her firmly.

Daya(departing): Ek kaam karo you go finish packing whilst I order some pizza and put on a movie and we can just hang out for the rest of tonight for ourselves.

She nodded but didn't move. Daya got up to order pizza but Muskaan held him by pulling his hand. So he sat back beside her this time close to her and entwining his hand with hers.

Daya looked into her eyes searching for the cause of stopping him. Suddenly she leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. And they both kissed for the first time.

They both parted away. Daya rested his forehead against hers and took her hands in his.

Daya(smiling): _We will get through this together._ Remember I will be _always by your side_.

Thus the day became memorable in their entire life and parting was a little pain less.


End file.
